Echo
by CatchingDust
Summary: A young man with hearing impairment and a girl with a voice that echoes. "Out of all the muffled sounds, her voice is somehow clear."


This is an AU. I don't really know what else to say.

Summary: A young man with hearing impairment and a girl with a voice that echoes. "Out of all the muffled sounds, her voice is somehow clear."

* * *

 _Echo — One_

She ran, sprinting at full speed with her bag flying behind her. If she was late for her first class she'd never hear the end of it from her mother. Deciding to take the easier route, she screeched to a stop and glared at the tall stone wall in front of her.

"Okay!"

Grabbing the edge of the top, she hauled herself up and crouched like a cat ready to leap off to the other side.

A fierce gust of wind knocked away her balance and she came crashing down, falling face down on a hard surface.

"Hurrgh…" The rosette rubbed her nose and tried to get up from her fallen state, opening her eyes slowly.

Only to come into contact with a color so blue that it was bluer than the ocean. She stared for a couple seconds before looking at what or who she had landed on.

A young man. A young man with the bluest eyes she had ever laid eyes upon and hair brighter than the summer sun. He looked back at her with shock and confusion. "Uhmm…"

"A-ah, my bad." She stuttered and moved off of him, gathering her belongings scattered around them as she kneeled before him.

He moved to help her pick up her items and she stole a glance at the man. "Thank you…"

"Hm?" He turned to look her straight in the eye with those beautiful blue orbs.

Paralyzed by his gaze, she flushed and stared back. "A-ah…"

Looking down, she saw a box lunch flipped over. Rice was spilt everywhere and various meats and vegetables splayed nearby. A pair of chopsticks laid not too far away.

"I-I'm so sorry!" She squeaked out and bowed before him with the deepest bow she could muster. "I ruined your lunch!"

"Huh?"

She peaked up from her position and saw blue eyes in confusion. "Y-your lunch?"

A look of surprise seemed to smack the wind out of him as he hurriedly waved his hands in front of his torso, a blush adorning his cheeks. "N-no no! It's fine! I'm glad you're okay!"

She stared at how lovely his voice sounded, before staring down at her lap, then noticing the small tear at the hem of her skirt. "Rest in peace my forty dollars", she thought sadly.

From the distance, they both heard the university bells ring. It was noon.

"AH CRAP!" She bolted upright and grabbed her bag and began running again down the grassy hill. Suddenly she stopped and yelled back to the man, "I'M SAKURA! MEET ME AT THE CAFETERIA AT 2!" then she took off sprinting again, leaving him confused and slightly curious.

He looked down at the mess of his lunch and sighed, "Sakura, huh?"

.

.

She had missed the first third of the lecture even though she had practically slaved herself and forced the admission staff to put her in Tsunade's class. Tsunade seemed nonchalant about it though and ignored her presence as she practically hopped in through the opened window. She was a returning student after all, but her professor's silence could also mean she was "hella" pissed.

After class ended, a blonde tapped her on the shoulder. Ino.

"Late on the first day, daring considering it's Tsunade's class."

"I woke up late, ripped my favorite skirt, and crashed into a boy with the prettiest blue eyes." Sakura sighed. "My day's been a mess Ino, cut me some slack."

"You crashed into a boy?"

"Yeah."

"Oooohhhh~," she smirked and nudged the rosette with a playful elbow, "details please."

She blushed. "S-shut up— It's not what you're thinking."

"U-huh, sure then." She retorted, chuckling and flipping her hair out of her face.

"I'm being honest!"

"Yeah yeah; honor student Haruno Sakura can't be bothered to look at boys when she wants to become a slave in the hospital for the rest of her life." Ino waved jokingly with smiling eyes.

The rosette put away her notebook and pens, "Better than you. Who takes Tsunade's class but wants to marry a hubby so she can drop out?"

"Hey, hey— that is like, a full proof plan. You can never go wrong with marrying into a rich family."

"Except when the two don't love each other."

"That's why I'll seduce him hun." She gave Sakura a wink and linked her arm in hers.

Sakura scoffed. "Sure, you keep telling yourself that."

"You have no faith in me."

"Cuz' it's such a stupid plan."

"And yet a ton of women have succeeded."

"They were just lucky." Sakura mumbled while her friend was practically dragging her down the hall with enthusiasm.

"Oh by the way, there's a good café that opened up on 4th street. Let's go there—"

Sakura slithered out of her vice like grip and smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, I already have plans!"

"Nu-uh! With who?" The blonde bellowed with hands on her hips.

She thought for a moment before smiling, "The sun!"

"Like I'm going to buy that— HEY YOU GET BACK HERE!"

.

.

Sakura dashed through the halls, pushing passed other students and slithering into gaps in the crowd. She was even pushed up against the wall a couple of times, but persevered to the cafeteria where life was bustling even more than in the halls.

She glanced at her watch and tapped on the glass, as if willing the time to turn six minutes ahead. Looking back up, she turned looking for a head of blond hair.

The crowd pushed her to the other side of the room even as she struggled to stay near the entrance. Finding open space, she attempted to catch her breath before looking for the man again.

"Maybe he's not here yet." She thought and leaned against one of the pillars near the glass windows.

And suddenly, a flash of yellow caught her eye.

Not sure how to catch his attention as he tried to walk through the overwhelming crowd, she impulsively thrusted herself into the crowd to meet him at least half way.

Elbows dug their way into her sides and shoulders squeezed the breath out of her. She winced in pain.

A strong pull moved her out of the crowd and back into the hallway.

"Darn it—" she started but opened her eyes to see those same cerulean orbs. She stared.

He broke out a smile and tightened his hold on her wrist, "Glad I found ya'."

"H-how'd you find me?!" She blurted out, red-faced and out of breath.

He blinked twice before giving her a sheepish smirk. "Your pink hair really stands out."

She blinked back before breaking out a smile herself. "Is that so?"

He looked around and she could make out the slight slant in his brows. It was her turn to pull him away, "Let's go somewhere else!"

"Eh?" And she dragged him back down the hall.

.

.

The two sat in a café not too far off campus, with her sipping a cup of warm coffee and him staring down at his. She stared behind her cup, "Aren't you going to drink? Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?"

He snapped his head in her direction and opened his mouth, "E-eh?"

"You're not hungry?"

"I-Iam!" He stuttered.

She paused before snickering a little. "You're too nervous!" Once she settled back to her ground state, she smiled at him, "I just wanted to repay you for ruining your lunch as well as letting me land on top of you."

He smiled back, with a smile that reached his ears. "Nah, it's all good."

"Are you a second year student?"

He gave her a blank stare. "Hm?"

So she repeated. "Are you a second year student?"

"Ah!" He blushed and looked down at his untouched coffee. "Y-yeah!"

"Me too!" She smiled. "What department are you in?"

"Hm, sorry?"

"What department?" She crinkled her brows in confusion.

"Oh, I'm in Law. You?"

"Natural Sciences. Oh, I don't know your name by the way."

"Uzumaki Naruto." He grinned.

She blinked. "Uzumaki Naruto? Well, I'm Haruno Sakura, nice to meet you."

"Same."

The two sat in silence, with him grinning at her and her smiling back.

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Let me know if I should continue :O

— 11/20/15 _12:57_


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